ABC has announced its decision not to move forward with a third season of The Wonder Years, following the conclusion of Season 2 of the classic coming-of-age comedy reboot a month ago, Deadline has learned.
Initially scheduled for a midseason return, the second season of The Wonder Years was rescheduled for the summer, indicating uncertainty about the show’s future. Historically, the summer season has been a landing spot for broadcast scripted series that are either canceled or likely to be.
The Wonder Years faced challenges this summer, as it emerged as the lowest-rated and least-watched series on ABC, falling behind the network’s unscripted content. Furthermore, it ranked at the bottom among ABC’s shows that aired during the 2022-23 season.
ABC has yet to make renewal decisions regarding other series in limbo, including The Rookie: Feds and Home Economics. Additionally, there’s an impending decision on the fate of The Good Lawyer pilot. These outcomes remain uncertain due to ongoing strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The longer these work stoppages persist, the more uncertain the survival prospects for these shows become.
Based on the 1988 series of the same name, The Wonder Years delves into the life of the Williams family during the late 1960s. The series provides a unique perspective through the eyes of imaginative 12-year-old Dean as he navigates the challenges of growing up in a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama. It explores themes of friendship, laughter, and valuable life lessons.
The cast of The Wonder Years includes Don Cheadle as the adult narrator Dean Williams, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Dean Williams, Dulé Hill as Bill Williams, Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams, Laura Kariuki as Kim Williams, Julian Lerner as Brad Hitman, Amari O’Neil as Cory Long, and Milan Ray as Keisa Clemmons.
The series is executive produced by Lee Daniels, Saladin K. Patterson, Marc Velez, and Bob Daily and is produced by 20th Television, a division of Disney Television Studios.
